Stay Healthy During Ramadan
There are plenty of ways to keep up with your healthy eating habits during Ramadan, even when you are fasting during daylight hours!
Check out our latest factsheet!
As the sacred month of Ramadan begins, changes to your regular eating patterns can sometimes make it challenging to feel ‘full’ or ‘satiated’ between your ‘suhoor’ or ‘sehri’ and ‘iftar’, each day.
There are plenty of ways to keep up with your healthy eating habits during Ramadan, even when you are fasting during daylight hours.
Our factsheet you can find HERE offers you some helpful tips to support a mindful and healthy fast.
If you are fasting during this period here are some key tips:
At Iftar, aim to drink plenty of fluids and eat foods that contain whole grains or naturally occurring sugars for long-lasting energy. This includes:
- Lots of water!
- Broth based soup with lentils, beans and / or grains
- Fresh, frozen or tinner fruit in natural juices (instead of tinned fruit in syrup)
- 100% fruit juices, or smoothies
- Dried fruit like dates, apricots, figs, raisons or prunes
- Low fat, plain Greek-style yoghurt
- Low fat cow’s milk or plant-based alternative milk (soy milk, almond milk) with added calcium
When breaking your fast:
Depending on your family’s traditions, the meals you eat may vary. Where you can, try to include a balance of foods from the five food groups. Aim to include:
- Lean meats or poultry cooked in a healthy way (grilled or baked rather than fried)
- Pulses such as lentils, beans and chickpeas
- A variety of different coloured vegetables
- Unprocessed carbohydrates such as boiled potatoes, steamed rice or wholegrain breads
- A variety of fresh, frozen and dried fruits
- Reduced-fat milk, cheese, yoghurt or plat-based alternatives with added calcium
- And lots of water!
Managing cravings
After a long fast, it’s natural to feel like overeating or have a craving for processed foods and drinks that may contain added fat and sugar. Where possible, try to nourish your body with nutritious foods from the five food groups that contain essential nutrients your body needs.
This is especially important during Ramadan if you only have an allocated time to eat and drink. Preparing meals ahead of time can help you stick to your healthy eating habits.
For practical tips on making mindful and healthy choices whilst also celebrating this sacred period, check out our latest factsheet, available here.
Happy Ramadan!